Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Presents Pal Who Lent Him A Helping Hand When He Was Homeless A Poignant Gift

Dec 21, 2022 by apost team

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is one of Hollywood's leading tough guys on-screen. He rose to fame as a professional wrestler for WWE and has spent the last couple of decades perfecting his craft as an actor. From his feature debut in "The Scorpion King" and his role in the "Fast & Furious" franchise to more recent roles in "Moana" and the rebooted "Jumanji" franchise, Johnson is a bonafide Hollywood legend by now. 

He might be known for playing the tough guy in various films, but it turns out he may be more of a super generous guy with a big heart than an action hero in real life. 

A video that the star posted on his Instagram in December 2020 confirmed just how big Johnson's heart is once again. In it, he's with an old friend of his named Bruno Lauer, who took him in when Johnson was 15 and had nowhere to go. Lauer even bought Johnson his first car, and it's clear from how comfortable they are with each other that these are two very old friends. 

In the video, the two shared stories about those first years together, and it's clear they both remember that time fondly. As a thank you for everything Lauer had done for him in his life, Johnson wanted to surprise his friend with a new car of his own. From the disbelief on Lauer's face and voice, it's clear he had no idea it would happen, and it's wonderful to witness. His sincerity and gratefulness to Johnson are simply heartwarming.

Johnson is well-known for his brawny on-screen personas, but off-screen, his demeanor is closer to that of a teddy bear. That is evident from the many interviews he has given, where his positive attitude shines through, or on his social media, where he's posted photos of his adorable daughters. He’s also gone to great lengths to help those in need around him and is well-known for his extreme generosity and kindness. 

One such example of his big heart was his sweet and selfless gesture during the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. On Dec. 7, 2021, Johnson was awarded the People's Champion award from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. According to USA Today, the audience was surprised as Bezos walked onto the stage and revealed that this year's People's Champion is someone not only "larger than life," but also "strong, handsome (and) bald." However, as someone who is also bald, Bezos, of course, had to include the quirky addition, "Hey, it's a good look." Johnson took the award but decided to give it to someone he thought was more worthy instead of keeping it for himself. 

“I used to call myself the People's Champion," Johnson said, before asking a young guest from the Make-A-Wish Foundation named Shushana onstage. “What it means to be the People's Champion is so much bigger than me... I wanna give you (Shushana) this, because you represent everything that it means to be a people's champion,” Johnson said during the ceremony.

However, this wasn't the first time Johnson had exhibited incredible kindness. In a video posted on New Year’s Eve in 2020, he had already shown why he’s one of Hollywood’s most beloved movie stars.

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In the video posted on his Instagram, Johnson captioned the video with a little background information about his situation in his teens. He wrote:

"My life (especially my teenage years) has been full of the wildest twists and turns — yet God and the universe had always found a way to put a few people in my path that would change the trajectory of the road I was going down.

Meet one of my lifelong friends, Bruno Lauer."

In both the caption and video, Johnson explained that when he was 15, he and his mom were evicted off the island of Hawaii, and he was sent to live with his father in Nashville. But when he got there, he learned he wouldn't live with his dad. He continued:

"Instead, I told I was gonna live with a guy named Bruno. Who at the time lived in a tiny room at a spot called the Alamo Plaza motel. Bruno could’ve (and should’ve) said hell no, I’m not takin’ in some kid who I don’t know. But he didn’t. He took this punk kid in and we became lifelong friends."

Lauer even gave Johnson $40 so he could buy his first car back then. With many laughs, the two recounted the story in the video, which was obviously filled with many memories.

But their story doesn't end there. Around nine years later, when Johnson was in his mid-20s and at the start of his wrestling career in Memphis, Tennessee, he again had nowhere to live. That's when Lauer took him in a second time, that time in his trailer in Walls, Mississippi.  

Johnson proved just why he's known for being such a great and kind person since he wanted to do something for his old friend. So he brought him to the set of "Young Rock," which is a television show based on Johnson's own life. Since Lauer was such an important part of his life, it only made sense to bring him out. Then Johnson surprised his friend with his very own car. He wrote in the video's caption:

"Merry Christmas Bruno and since you helped me 'buy' my first car — I figured I could return the favor and buy you one ... I love you, brother. Your kindness and heart — helped change my life’s trajectory."

Lauer was in complete disbelief when he saw the black Ford F150 truck. Gobsmacked, he could barely mutter a word. Johnson gave him a big hug, and the closeness between the two men was clear to see. When he sat inside the truck, Lauer broke down in tears. He said, "I'll never forget this," and "I love you man." He was quick to point out that he didn't love Johnson for the gift but because of who he is. But that wasn't all. Johnson wrote in his caption:

"And when you’re ready to retire from 'the business' you just say the word. I got you covered."

He ended the moving post with, "Enjoy your new ride and give Walls, Mississippi my love and gratitude 🖤 " Johnson has shown time and again how much he cares about other people and his old friend Lauer is no exception.  

What do you think about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's generous gift to his old friend Bruno Lauer? Pass this story on to those you know to show that a little bit of kindness in the world can make all the difference.